Cole
| type = | official = | gender = Male, Female | age = Cole (21) Starr (20)Starr was originally this age, but her birth year was later changed to 1991, which would have made her about 21 when she transitioned to General Hospital | residence = Los Angeles, California (Starr) | parents = Patrick Thornhart Marty Saybrooke (Cole's parents) Todd Manning Blair Cramer (Starr's parents) | siblings = Danielle Manning Jack Manning Sam Manning (Starr's siblings) Brendon Thornhart (Starr's maternal half and Cole's paternal half brother; stillborn) | children = Hope Manning-Thornhart (daughter; born 2008; died 2012) | grandchildren = | color = #74138C | color text = #FFFFFF }} Starr Manning and Cole Thornhart are a fictional supercouple from the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live. Starr was originated by Kristen Alderson and Cole was originated by Brandon Buddy, then later portrayed by Van Hughes. The two had a child together (who they named Hope Manning-Thornhart) that was switched with Jessica Buchanan's deceased child. The couple is often called "Sole" (for S'tarr and '''C'ole). On February 24, 2012 Kristen Alderson brought her alter-ego Starr Manning over to the soap opera General Hospital. Cole & Hope were driving to Llanview, but their life was cut short when they died in a car accident caused by attempting to shoot out 's tires. Storylines In the fall of 2006, Brandon Buddy made his first appearance as Cole Thornhart creating a Romeo and Juliette-esque story as Todd raped Cole's mother, Marty Saybrooke in college. Early on in their relationship, the couple faces off with the mean girl, Britney Jennings (originally Katrina Bowden, then Portia Reiners) who sets out to ruin Starr after Cole rejects her in favor of Starr; Britney's torture starts with teasing Starr about her parents. Britney goes so far as to dose Cole with steroids which leads to him attacking Starr at a party. With everything in the world against them, Starr and Cole realize their love for one another on prom night in 2007. Starr does her best to comfort a grieving Cole when Marty (Christina Chambers) is "killed" in an explosion. This causes tension between Starr and Langston who believes she can understand Cole more because she has dealt with losing her parents. Starr does not like that Langston thinks she knows Cole better than she Starr does and becomes a bit overprotective. According to Alderson's costar, Brittany Underwood (Langston), "Starr hates not being able to relate or understand the way Langston can understand Cole." Starr also feels left out when Langston and Cole must attend grief counseling sessions together. "Your best friend and your boyfriend, the two people you hang out with most in your life, all of a sudden start hanging out together and you're not allowed to be with them or talk to them about it." Teen pregnancy In 2008, One Life to Live launched a storyline featuring Starr focusing on teen pregnancy as part of The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Despite disapproval from some fans — as well as Starr's father, Todd — Starr and Cole have sex for the first time in March 2008. To coincide with the storyline, Alderson started a blog on the official ABC Daytime website in which she discussed her take on the storyline, and the issues of teen sex and pregnancy, and Starr's choices, as well the consequences of those choices. Alderson's blog launched on March 7, 2008. ABC previously partnered with the campaign for the teen pregnancy storyline featuring Starr's cousin, Jessica Buchanan (Erin Torpey) in 1998 and ( ) in 2006. Alderson discussed the storyline in an issue of Seventeen: In an interview with Soap Central's Dan J. Kroll, Alderson described the plot as being "a very adult storyline… It's a very big issue and we feel very honored to be doing such a powerful storyline and hopefully educate some viewers about teenage pregnancy because it's a very big issue and it be scary." In January 2009, Soap Opera Digest conducted an interview with Amy Kramer, the director of Entertainment Media for the campaign. Kramer discussed the campaign's history with ABC and also gave some facts about the storyline: Baby switch and Schuyler Joplin Starr's decision to put the child up for adoption and the child's supposed "death" eventually drives the couple apart. By 2009, Cole is struggling with a drug addiction and Starr's attempts to help him deal start to bring them closer together. For May Sweeps, Starr's storyline involves the investigation into her late daughter, Hope's mysterious death. Starr finally learns the truth her child was switched at birth by her cousin Jessica ([[Bree Williamson])'s alternate personality, Bess, when Jessica's baby is stillborn] and she is finally reunited with daughter. However, Starr is now faced with a tough decision, "Do I keep her? Or, do I still give her to Marcy [McBain] (Kathy Brier)?" Brier and her costar Chris Stack who portrayed Marcie's husband, Michael were about to leave the show, leaving fans to wonder if they would be taking Hope with them. The reveal also coincides with Llanview High school's annual prom and Alderson revealed that Starr and Cole finally get the chance to be teenagers again. However, "they can’t take their minds off of it, because their daughter is being exhumed that night." Starr is also kidnapped by one of Todd's enemies, Zach Rosen forcing Blair to exchange her freedom for Starr's. During Starr's time away from Cole, she develops a crush on her biology teacher, Schuyler Joplin (Scott Clifton), the son of the woman who delivered baby Hope, the late Dr. Leah Joplin (Maureen Mueller). Alderson revealed that when her character suddenly begins falling for Schuyler, she is on the rebound because she is missing Cole. "Cole was her best friend, and she wanted to be with him so bad. Langston is her best friend, but at the same time, Cole was going through terrible times like Starr was." Starr knows she and Cole can't bet together because they both are dealing with their own individual issues, so she goes and finds someone else, Schuyler, and projects her feelings for Cole onto him. Alderson stated that Starr's attraction to her teacher developed "out of desperation." Fortunately, Schuyler helps her realize that the feelings they had for one another were not real, as they were both on the rebound from failed relationships. Hannah and James In the spring of 2010, Starr does not have a date to prom because Cole is in prison. At the time, Cole and Starr's relationship is being threatened by Cole's college lab partner, the crazed Hannah O'Connor (Meghann Fahy). Alderson describes Starr's life as being blown apart. Starr and Cole at the time are juggling being parents finishing high school, and their lives appear to be "settling down," — enter Hannah. "She spills coffee on herself with Cole, and then Todd, my dad, walks in on the two of them. Something innocent gets blown out of proportion, and then when Marty's pushed down the stairs, Cole automatically thinks it's Todd. It's been upsetting for Starr." Carlivati stated Hannah as being a "real problem." Cole's incarceration for his brutal attack on "Todd" allows for the introduction of another love interest, James (Nic Robuck), the younger brother of Robert Ford (David A. Gregory), the man Langston is cheating on Markko with. When James and Starr are forced to go on the run together, they fall for one another very quickly. When asked if Starr would get revenge on Hannah for interfering with her relationship with Cole, Alderson revealed that Starr is more focused on whether Cole will be able to make it to the prom. Starr's trust in her father, "Todd" (Trevor St. John) that Hannah is responsible for Cole's mother, Marty miscarriage, while Cole blames "Todd" thanks to Hannah's accusations. When asked if the couple would make it past the next obstacle, Alderson explained, though they love one another and they still have a connection, Cole's friendship with Hannah is what tears them apart. Cole taking Hannah's side when Marty miscarries only makes matters worse. Starr knows Hannah intends to win Cole for herself forcing Starr to fight for Cole. According to Alderson, Cole and Starr are forced to grow up very fast, while their parents continue acting like children, in order to deal with all the issues they face, including the tension between their parents, and becoming teenage parents. Despite them being forced into adulthood, Starr sees their senior prom as sort of a full-circle event, because prom is where it all began for them. In late 2010, it is announced that Brandon Buddy would be departing from the series with his character, Cole being sent back to prison for violating his probation. Alderson compares her attraction to James to her prior attraction to Schuyler; because Cole is going to be in jail for the next several years, Starr leans on James. Alderson revealed that James being around Starr's age would be a real threat to her relationship with Cole "because unlike Schuyler, this is what James wants. Schuyler did not want to get with Starr at any point. He felt feelings for her like a friend. He cared about her, but James not only cares about Starr; he really does have feelings for her and wants to be with her." Starr ends her relationship with Cole in early 2011 and soon begins dating James. The relationship is quickly threatened with the introduction of James's ex-girlfriend, Deanna and Starr's music producer, Baz Moreau. Baz seems to have feelings for Starr, but she quickly rejects him because she is dating James. After causing a bit of trouble for the couple, and breaking up Starr's sister Danielle's relationship with Nate, Deena leaves town. Upon the serial's cancellation, many began speculate that Cole would return to the series in time for the finale. However, the show is forced to abandon those plans and quickly recast the role with actor Van Hughes due to Buddy being unable to continue taping. Losing Cole and Hope Upon Alderson's introduction as Starr on General Hospital, it was assumed by fans and critics that Starr would be paired with Michael Corinthos ('''Chad Duell). However, many wondered what would happen to Cole and Hope. Viewers are shocked in late February when Starr survives a fatal car accident that kills Cole and Hope. Alderson responded to the decision on Twitter urging fans not to blame head-writer Ron Carlivati revealing that both Buddy and Hughes were unavailable to continue in the role of Cole. Alderson promised her fans that the storyline would definitely lead to greater possibilities for Starr. Starr goes on the war path when Michael's father, Sonny is arrested in connection to the shooting which led to the car accident. At the time, Michael is also grieving the loss of his girlfriend, and according to Alderson he is the "only person that could really understand what Starr is going through." References Category:Characters Category:Couples Category:One Life to Live couples Category:One Life to Live characters Category:Supercouples Category:Thornhart Family Category:Manning Family Category:Lord Family Category:Cramer Family Category:General Hospital characters